1. Field of the Present Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to cutting tools and devices and particularly to a chain link cutting apparatus for severing brittle pipe.
2. Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Singley, U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,098, discloses a cutting tool for parting an elongated, fracturable member. It comprises a flexible, substantially nonextendible cutter adapted to be placed around and tension-squeezed against the fracturable member to fracture and part the it. A clamp for tensioning the cutter to squeeze and part the member upon a closing of the clamp is placed in spaced first and second clamp jaws. The cutter engaging means releasably engages a particular portion of the cutter after it is placed around the member, the particular portion being dictated by the size of the member; and a holder for the cutter remote from the first clamp jaw. The holder includes a means for indicating the size of the member for engagement with the cutter engaging means.
Coblitz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,830, discloses a cutting chain disposed to be wrapped around and tension-squeezed against a pipe for cutting into the pipe. The chain includes a series of spaced apart side links and a plurality of transversely disposed pins connecting the series of side links together. The cutting elements are disposed between the spaced apart side links and are mounted respectively on the pins, the cutting elements respectively having substantially circumferentially directed cutting edge means disposed to be tension-squeezed against the pipe for cutting it. The circumferentially directed cutting edge respectively resides in substantially a circle with the circles being substantially of the same diameter and with each circle surrounding a pin upon which the cutting elements are respectively mounted. At least a selected one of two adjacently disposed cutting elements comprises substantially a segmental circular body having at least a chordally directed edge clearance surface and segmental cutting edge means encompassing less than 360 degrees. The chordally direct edge clearance surface clears the other of the two adjacently disposed cutting elements with the circles in which the two adjacently disposed cutting elements respectively residing so as to intersect each other.
Anbriot, U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,591, discloses a chain pipe-cutter equipped to cut all kinds of material. The chain pipe-cutter includes a tensioner which is a deformable system formed by a cylindrical rod fast with a support, a slider slidably mounted on the rod, the support bearing four articulated rockers connected to the slider in pairs by two links and having their lower ends shaped as hooks to permit attachment of the chain thereon. The cylindrical rod cooperates with a handle through the agency of a screw-thread and said handle is formed by two superimposed cylindrical elements having four superimposed lobes arranged in cruciform-fashion.
Axbjer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,559, discloses an improvement in pipe cutting apparatus of the type having a number of cutting elements mounted for rotation on pins which also pivotally connect together the links of a roller type chain. A means for tightening the chain around the pipe during a pipe cutting operation, and means for moving the chain around the pipe is provided. The improvement resides in the fact that the chain tightening means is provided with parts which present co-acting guide surfaces adapted to align the ends of the chain length with respect to each other. Further, means are provided for adjusting the distance between the side links of each chain link and for locking the side links in the adjusted position.
Enos, U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,002, discloses an apparatus for cleaving an elongated fracturable member comprising, a handle, a compressed air supply system affixed to one end of the handle, a compressed air distribution system affixed to the other end of the handle, a means for regulating the flow of compressed air through the handle into the air distribution system, a flexible non-extensible chain mechanism adapted to be placed in close juxtaposition about the circumference of the fracturable member, and a means for tightening the chain mechanism. The air distribution system is in communication with the pneumatic cleaving means, whereby when compressed air is supplied to the pneumatic cleaving means the cleaving means is adapted to separate portions of the fracturable member.
The related art described above discloses the use of chain cutters for use on brittle and fracturable materials and especially pipes. This art shows the use of cutting wheels mounted in flexible chains which are mounted around pipes so that their ends may be forced into convergence thereby generating radial pressure points to sever the pipes. However, the related art fails to disclose a chain cutter with terminal adapters such as described herein whereby the ends may be drawn together more easily and wherein the adapters are able to engage so as to keep the chain cutter positioned on a true circle. The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art providing heretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary.